"He did what?"

"Just strode right in," Hilary replied to Abbey's stunned question. "Like he owned the place."

Back at the lab, the team could only stare in slack-jawed horror as Ray and Hilary explained their surprise meeting with Scolex. Following the catastrophic trial with the battlizer, Miguel had Wisped Erika to the lab while the others hurried along behind them.

They'd been lucky; her suit had taken the brunt of the damage, and the only injuries she'd sustained were superficial. Her unconscious state seemed mostly exhaustion, no doubt caused by the stress of holding the raw, uncontrolled power for so long. After being put to rest in Lena's room upstairs, Hilary made her examination and expected their Red Ranger to make a full recovery. But while the news had been welcomed by the rest of them, it only made Zeke slump further into wallowing guilt.

They'd been lucky. The power that they were messing with was beyond anything he'd ever seen, and yet he'd expected to harness it in a matter of days? That somehow, an afternoon of tinkering was all he'd needed to make a perfectly functional and fully safe prototype without any drawbacks? And now his teammate was hurt, lying upstairs in bad shape because he couldn't get his programming done in time.

Again.

But what made Zeke feel worse was that he'd already known all of that; he'd known that it wasn't ready, and yet he allowed Erika to try it anyway. He knew that Jess was equally reeling in guilt and no doubt preparing for an uncomfortable conversation with Hilary to explain how on earth she could have let this happen. But deep down, Zeke knew that no fault lay with Jess. She wasn't the one to build it, to check the calculations, or even to suggest uploading the prototype for Erika to use. And when she wanted to use it, he'd let her. He'd offered no more than a tokenistic protest and stood back as Erika took the full power of the grid into her body with only failing protection to shield her. A single word from Zeke and the whole thing could have been avoided: no.

But instead of telling Jessica to hold back, to ignore Erika's insistence on trying the Battlizer, Zeke had done nothing to stop it. It wasn't because he didn't think he could argue with her, it wasn't because he thought Erika would continue without him. It was because, at that moment, to refuse to let Erika use it would be an admission that Zeke was far too ashamed to accept. That it wasn't ready, that he'd failed.

It wasn't, and he did. And in succumbing to his pride, he'd just made everything worse.

"…but wait," said Ray, his voice shaking Zeke from his walling stupor as he and Hilary continued explaining why they'd been delayed in joining the Rangers. "There's something else."

"If he'd just shown up and made his usual idle threats, it would have been one thing," Hilary agreed. "But this time, it was different. This time, it was… personal."

"Personal?" Abbey asked.

"Like constantly trying to kidnap you and your husband while holding your old mentor hostage wasn't personal enough," Miguel scoffed.

"It wasn't like that," Hilary shook her. "Threats against me? That I can take all day. But he threatened you guys. Your families."

The words stopped their hearts all at once like a live wire had shocked them dead. A tense silence fell, freezing the room in solidified fear as the true nature of Scolex's threats became clear. He was going to hit them in the one place their Ranger powers couldn't protect, going to take the fight to the very people who'd done nothing but love them, care for them, and put roofs over their heads. And now Scolex was going to use every power at his disposal to ruin them.

Abbey and Zeke's parents had barely learned that their children were Rangers, and now that very fact was going to ruin their lives.

"That's low," Abbey growled. "Even for him, that's just plain dirty."

"He can't really do that, can he?" Miguel asked, and as he did, Zeke realized the true weight that was weighing on him more than others. Whereas he and Abbey had always had their families, stuck together by the lottery of birth, Miguel's family had chosen him. They'd opened their doors and their hearts to give him a chance he'd never have gotten on his own. And that was about to be repaid with ruination. To make it worse, whereas at least Zeke and Abbey could explain to their parents what was happening, Miguel's foster family remained blissfully unaware of his secret, superhero identity. Their life was about to be destroyed, and they'd have no idea why.

"It means he's scared," said Hilary, although her voice crackled as she tried to deliver the silver lining. "He's desperately looking for ways to get us out of the fight and surrender because he can't beat us as Rangers."

"Until today," Zeke said bitterly.

Abbey softly touched his shoulder, a silent insistence that no one was blaming him, an insistence that Zeke knew to be false. Because he was.

"We can read into it however we want," Ray continued, "but that doesn't change the reality. If Scolex is desperate, then that's only going to make him more dangerous, and we can't in good conscience expect you to keep fighting without considering what it would cost. Hilary and I are all in, we always have been. But you guys? You've got a lot more on the line, your families, your futures. We still have no idea what it's going to take to bring Scolex down for good, and we don't want you paying a cost that's too high."

Slowly, Zeke, Abbey, and Miguel all looked at each other, speechless, as they realized what Ray was suggesting. None of them could ever claim to have known what they were signing up for when they first strapped on their Morphers. But now that they had, they couldn't imagine their lives without them. All had had moments of wanting to walk away, but in the end, none of them could. Because they knew what was at stake, what they were fighting for.

But that was before the people that they loved had been pulled into the crosshairs, and now they were staring down the impossible choice. To stay in the fight and let Scolex destroy everything they loved, or step away and let him remake the world.

"No."

The voice cut the tension in the air, like a sharp blade snapping a taught wire, and all spun around to see Erika standing at the entrance of the lab. She looked tired still, but the color was slowly returning to her face. But in her eyes was her trademark glare of burning defiance. Like a fire, freshly ignited, burning with righteous zeal.

"You should be resting," Ray advised. But Erika ignored him, limping toward the others with an absolute refusal to bend. Instead, she moved past them, standing in front of the wall of monitors to address her team with infectious rebellion.

"And I can't believe that any of you are even considering this," Erika replied. "Do you think Scolex will stop just because we bend? Do you think he'll just let things slide if we give in? And do you honestly believe that this "perfect world" of his has any place for the likes of us? The people that have stood in his way, the people that have fought tooth and nail for the world we have. He's not going to stop, so neither should we. Because we swore to keep the people of this city safe: our friends, our families, everyone. We can't back down, not now, not when their safety matters most."

"Erika," Ray said gently. "I get that you want to keep fighting, I do. But what will happen to your dad?"

"Ranger rule number two," Erika replied. "Never escalate a fight unless the enemy forces you to. Scolex found a new way to fight us, so we need to come up with a way to fight back."

The others were nodding, postures straightening as they came around to her thinking, reinvigorated with inspiration as Erika stood before them, battered, bruised, and refusing to stand down. But then, just as quickly as the inspiration had revitalized him, Zeke's heart stopped as Erika turned to address him directly.

"And that means we need to get that armor of yours working ASAP."

"Erika, I can't," Zeke protested. "Just look at what happened last time. If we try to use it in battle and it fails again, it could be even worse."

He expected someone to jump in, even back him up, and push back against Erika's reckless insistence. Surely, Hilary, of all people, would realize how dangerous Erika's suggestion really was. But instead, all he was greeted by were nervous looks as Erika shrugged it off.

"We had to know our "road test" strategy was going to bite us eventually," she said. "Besides, what happened back there wasn't your fault."

Slowly, Erika turned to face Ray and Hilary to make her admission. But Erika's posture wasn't shrunk and shameful. Her back was straight, and she looked both dead in the eye as she embraced her mistake head-on.

"Ray, Hilary," said Erika. "I know you said it's okay, but it's my fault that Doc didn't make it out. It's because of me that he's trapped in Scolex's tower, being subjected to who knows what. And I know that you've already forgiven me, but I don't think I'm ready to forgive myself."

For a moment, Zeke was stunned, watching Erika freely announce her guilt for all to see, to lay her mistakes bare without a care in the world. Abbey and Miguel pulled closer to each other, more from nervous tension than anything else, and Zeke could have sworn that Ray's eyes were beginning to shimmer with a strange sense of pride.

But then Erika turned back toward Zeke as her admission continued.

"But while that's still for me to work through, I shouldn't put that on you, Zeke," Erika said. "I let my own guilt and failure take command and push you to try something that wasn't ready. I bore the brunt of it this time, but it could easily have been worse and put everyone else in danger. So, I'm sorry for ever putting you in that position; can you forgive me?"

What…. What was even happening?

All Zeke could do was stare, mind short-circuiting as he processed everything Erika had just said. His armor, his design I, had hurt her. And yet Erika was the one apologizing to him?

"Erika," he began to say. "You don't need…"

"But I do," Erika insisted. "What happened out there? That wasn't your fault, and I need you to know that." And then she said the last thing that Zeke could possibly have expected. "Because I want to try it again."

Zeke's eyes bulged as he heard Erika's insane request, gasping for air as he almost forgot to breathe from the shock. Even around him, all heads whipped around, faces scrunching in confusion as they tried to make sense of her request.

"You what?" Zeke demanded. "No, no way. Not after… after all that!"

"Which we've now got data on, right?" Erika asked. As she did, she tilted her head toward a sheepish-looking Jess, who nodded meekly in reply. "See. We can figure out the problem so that it doesn't happen again."

"Erika," Abbey said tentatively. "Are you sure about this? I mean, you got hurt pretty bad last time."

But Erika wouldn't listen, shaking her head in firm refusal as she kept her gaze fixed on Zeke. "That won't happen again. Zeke will figure it out in two seconds flat."

But Zeke was no longer listening, his body going the armor's haywire replayed in his mind on a loop. He couldn't stop it from happening again, or at least, he couldn't guarantee it. And the next time he failed, he couldn't guarantee that it wouldn't be worse.

"I'm sorry, Erika," said Zeke as his head hung in defeat. "I can't do it."

He could feel it all around him, the soft pity of teammates gathering in a sappy loop as all of them realized how useless he was. How he would never be what they needed, never be good enough.

Having been silent until then, Ray looked like he was about to speak. But Erika instead raised a pausing hand, requesting he hang back as she stepped closer to Zeke and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"But you can. I know you can," she said. "We'd never have made it this far without you."

For a moment, sheer, self-loathing instinct caused Zeke to dismiss the thought, but Erika had already beaten him to it.

"Zeke, you took a suit of armor that literally came from my dreams, and you got this close to making it work," said Erika. "I know it didn't go like we wanted, but that was my fault for rushing you. But just because it didn't work this time, that doesn't mean we should give up. We can't abandon a path for good just because we'll never achieve perfection. Mistakes happen, but they're also how we grow. How we learn. And I've learned more than enough to know that you've got this."

It wasn't that he didn't want to believe her, it was just that Zeke knew in his heart that she was wrong. Erika could take the blame all she wanted, but it didn't change the fact that the real problem was….

It him just as suddenly, like a bolt of Erika's lightning striking through his heart in a flash.

"Erika's the problem," he said without thinking, earning several confused stares from the others.

"Uhh, I know?" Erika said cautiously. "That's why I was apologizing."

"No," Zeke clarified, not that. "The suit. The problem wasn't the design or the calculations; it's Erika. Or… it's her Ranger powers."

"Okay, you're going to have to wind this back."

The others seemed just as confused, and Jess turned to her boss to ask for clarification. "Are you following him?"

"I think so," Hilary said with a tone of uncertainty. "But I want to see where he's going to be sure."

"The armor came from Erika, from when she was morphed inside the Dreamworld," Zeke explained. "I thought I could just take the data and transplant the design, that if we got a working prototype, we could duplicate it for the entire team. But that was never going to work. Because the design itself is mixed with your particular spectrum energy, it'll only ever work for you. So, when I tried to make it work across the whole grid…"

"It went haywire with the mixing streams!" Hilary gasped. "Of course. Dammit, even I hadn't considered that."

"So, there you have it," Zeke explained. "We'll never get it working for the whole team, just for Erika."

Erika didn't seem even the least bit deterred. "Is it wrong that I kind of want it more now?"

But while the brains were exchanging notes, Ray was strategizing with the others, and it was equally clear that he also wasn't going to let Zeke off the hook.

"We're going to hit the streets, try to keep an ear out for where Xaviax might hit next," he said. "If you manage to reprogram it to only interact with the Red Spectrum, do you think you can make it work?"

Part of him still wanted to say no, but the gnawing part of Zeke's brain was already running the calculations, writing lines of code in the back of his mind. He'd found the loose thread, and now he couldn't stop following it.

"You know what?" Zeke replied. "I think I can."

Four o'clock, and the streets were empty; word must have gotten out. Not that Kyle could blame them; when the forces brought in to protect the city became swarmed within a week, it tended to make people more than a little anxious. Knowing and experiencing were two different things, and Kyle couldn't help but notice the anxious tension that hung about the air as he drove around on patrol.

But until the next time the evil overload sent down a horde of robotic minions, there wasn't much to do but wait, and the best Kyle could do was ensure that his patrols were evenly stationed throughout the city and in easy reach of backup. Even that might have been a false hope. If the mood about the streets was anything to go by, Scolex's plan to discredit the Silver Guardians was working.

But Kyle could dwell on it no further, his mind snapping from its wallowing worry as he pulled up the lights and caught a curious sight. It was Lena, the Ranger who'd appeared at the barricade with Hilary. The one who had rescued him that morning.

She was the only one of the Rangers whose identity he knew, the others staying on a "need to know" basis that gave Kyle plausible deniability should it matter. And yet, there was a tense air that he couldn't shake, an unnerving caution that crawled along his spine whenever Kyle saw her. She'd been cagey when they'd first met, which at the time Kyle had assumed was the circumstance, but now he was starting to wonder if it were something else.

But even beyond that, there was a familiarity, that strange feeling that he and this teenage girl had somehow met before. Whenever Lena looked at him, it was like she knew him, a nervous, fearful disdain that pierced from behind her eyes to dominate her every expression.

Even now, as Kyle saw her at the edge of the street, waiting patiently for the light to change, he couldn't help but wonder where he could have possibly met the strangely cold teenager before. But all he had to go on was her some aggressive skittishness from the night they met, along with when they'd stood together in battle that morning. Even then, things were moving too fast to take much in, and all she'd really said was mocking consolation of his humanity.

Only human.

It was funny, the only other person who had ever told him that was…

…no.

…No way!

Slowly, Kyle's jaw dropped as the possibility dawned on him, only for his light to turn green and force him out of the intersection. But by the time he'd driven through the crossing, the very idea was consuming every thought.

It couldn't be. It was impossible.

And yet, the more he thought of it, the more apparent the similarities became. Her posture, her hair, her trademark look of cold disdain. It was her; it was Mileena!

But how was she here, in Lakeview? How was she working with Ray and Hilary? How was she like… that?

By the time Kyle had circled the block, Lena had departed the intersection, but it didn't take long for him to find her. She was making her way downtown, striding between blocks like she was on a mission. From where he was, Kyle couldn't tell if she was on the lookout for Cyberdrones or a tail. Either way, she sure looked suspicious. Or was that just what he expected to see?

Ray and Hilary sure had some explaining to do later; in the meantime, he needed to know where she was going. Parking his jeep, Kyle climbed out and began to follow, sticking to the corners of buildings to make sure he couldn't be detected. Slowly, Lena wound through the streets, seemingly unaware of the tail she'd picked up, and Kyle couldn't help but grow more suspicious with every turn.

Eventually, Lena took a shortcut, turning into a back alley as Kyle slunk to the corner at its edge. She'd stopped still, standing in the alley with her back toward him but otherwise staring at the end. But before Kyle could even begin to comprehend what she was up to, she spoke.

"You may as well come out," Lena announced. "It's not like I don't know you're there."

Dammit. So much for the subtle approach. With one hand on his holster and the other outstretched in a warning signal for caution, Kyle stepped out into the alley.

"Really?" Lena scoffed. "Come on, Mason, it's not like I'm a wild animal about to rip your face off."

"Aren't you?" Kyle asked.

"Fair point," said Lena. "I guess I can hold that against you. So, have you figured it out then? Or did Ray and Hilary put you out of your misery and spill the beans?"

So, it was true, and they did know. But…

Kyle's head was still swarming with questions, but as he stared at Lena, he saw something new behind her eyes, something that he had never before considered. For all her bravado, she was just as frightened as he was, if not more. But still, there was a daring in her glare, a bold provocation for Kyle to acknowledge. To announce the impossibility staring him in the face.

"Mileena," he said, at last, caught on the final disbelieving breath. Even as he said it, Lena's shoulder relaxed, slouching forward as if relieved of a heavy burden. But while the confident demeanor faded, the fear in her eyes remained. As Kyle wore his realization plain as day, Lena shrunk away in uncomfortable self-consciousness.

"Go on," she said, gesturing across her body, "laugh it up. Here I am, your once great enemy, reduced to this."

But Kyle could only stare, his mind still swirling as he tried to comprehend who was standing before him. The last time they'd met, she'd been lunging toward him, blood in her eyes and hellbent on his destruction as the airship crumbled around them. It had taken all he could to survive, to cross blades and still walk away after fending off her bloodlust. And yet, here Mileena was, demurely standing with uncomfortable silence between them as if Mileena herself didn't know what to make of it either.

"So, what are you going to do now?" she asked him, and Kyle realized that his hand was still on his blaster. But he didn't move it.

"I guess that depends," he replied instead.

"On what?"

"On a lot of things."

"I can think of a few!" an excited voice suddenly shrilled.

With matching gasps, Kyle and Lena whipped around to see a man in a red coat and a top hat adorned above his blue-skinned head, smiling at them with sinister intent. Moving on instinct, Kyle's blaster was in his hand and aiming within a heartbeat, finger resting on the trigger with only want of a reason. But to Kyle's surprise, Lena was at his side a moment later, snapped into a fighting stance as her eyes glared daggers at their new arrival.

"Do you mind, Ender?" she sneered. "This is kind of a private catch-up."

"Oh, but I just love reunions!" Ender replied with a joyful snicker. "And I've got a few other people that would just kill to see you again!"

With the predictable flash of green, the alley was filled with Cyberdrones, and Kyle cursed himself for getting trapped so easily. For a moment, he nearly uttered a curse at Lena for luring him into an ambush, but she was scowling just as much as he was. For now, at least, they shared a common enemy.

"Contact in Sector Eight!"

"Hostiles detected in Sector Four!"

"Civilians in danger, Sector Nineteen!"

Kyle's radio suddenly burst to life, blaring with warnings from all areas of the city. And as it did, Ender's wicked smile only widened, and Kyle saw their enemy's plan for what it was. His men could be as close as he wanted, but they could race to the rescue if they were entangled themselves.

"My, my," said Ender. "Seems there's quite the demand for you, Silver Guardians."

"Gee," Kyle growled. "How can we ever repay you?"

"I've got a few suggestions," Lena muttered beside him.

"We just didn't get a chance to say hello when you first arrived," Ender decided. "So, I thought we'd come on down to give a proper Lakeview welcome. Boys?"

At his command, the Cyberdrones surged forward. The blaster hounded, the first shot ringing through the air before the drones had even moved. But there were only so many rounds Kyle could fire before the henchmen reached him, and they crossed the distance in an instant.

As the head of the closest drone snapped back, the others pounced, descending on all sides as Kyle skidded back to gain some distance. It wasn't much, but it was something, enough to funnel them into smaller numbers as the first one grabbed him. Thinking fast, Kyle snatched the grasping hand and yanked it, reefing the drone into the path of its comrade as he kicked out and smashed a third. With one stumbling, Kyle ripped his hand away to send his captor spinning to the ground, and as the middle one came in close, Kyle was more than ready. The blaster snapped outward, ramming into the drone's stomach as the Silver Guardian pulled the trigger and unloaded. Fresh red blasts burned into the robot's torso, toppling to the ground as Kyle swiftly turned and put down the other two.

But while fresh smoke rose from the first three henchmen, the rest had caught up, and now Kyle had nowhere to go.

Having hung back while the others tied him up, the next group descended like a roiling wave, rising like a looming shadow to crash down upon him. There was no time to raise his blaster and fire, and Kyle was too turned around to fall back in time. All he could do was try and brace, bracing to dodge as best he could when they reached him. But someone else had another idea.

"Not today!"

She moved like a flash, her white jacket barely more than a blur as Lena leaped between Kyle and his persistent attackers. With a roar of furious resolve, Lena bounded forward, bounding off the alley wall to crash into the three attackers with a soaring kick. Unprepared for an attack on the side, the three robots went crashing to the ground as Lena recovered.

She…. She'd saved him.

Breathing heavily, Lena looked up at Kyle, a glance that revealed the act for the peace offering that it was. A sign that it was more than her body that was different now. And that whatever that meant for them, what they were now, they were on the same side.

But then something else moved, barely more than a flicker as Kyle whipped up the pistol and fired. The searing shot whistled right past her, barely avoiding Lena's shoulder as it lanced through a Cyberdrone's chest and put it down. Seeing the weapon, Lena flinched, only to turn around and see the steaming henchman. And then she spun back to look at him in surprise as Kyle merely shrugged.

There was no time left to think about it. He could let his mind collapse into insanity later.

With Lena's message and Kyle's response loud and clear, the two whipped around, standing back-to-back and ready as they stared Ender down.

"Now," Lena growled at Ender. "About this man's fee."

But the monster maker didn't seem even remotely annoyed, already smirking as he stepped away from the now united pair. "Well, seems you Silver Guardians are worth every penny. Even if you do need some outside help, I guess we should make sure the city gets its money's worth!"

He vanished in a flash, replaced by a fresh batch of Cyberdrones to plug the alley. Kyle scowled as the radio on his shoulder continued cackling with updates, warnings of the overwhelmed Guardians blurring across all channels.

"Not to push you along or anything," he suggested to Lena. "But I think we might need a little more firepower."

"And a ride," Lena agreed as the Morpher flashed to her wrist. "Jess, Hilary? We've got trouble. You need to get down here now!"

And then, Lena's whole body shifted, the Morpher at the ready as she wound back and bellowed to the command phase. And in that moment, Kyle's wild imagination finally met its limit as he watched his old nemesis don the powered spandex.

"Server Force! Login Access!"

"Okay, I think I've got it. Can you just for grid stabilization."

"It's all good on my end, and the extra stabilizers we've built in should keep it consistent. Hut about the infra-spectrum frequency; the higher yields could create some chaotic outputs if we're not careful."

"Already chucked them, even flow from end to end. It's just the initial point of catalyst that we've got to be careful of now."

Erika had no idea what any of those words meant, but she couldn't help but be amazed as Zeke, Hilary, and Jess all set to work on the armor modifications. Were it anything else, she'd have left them to it and hit the training room upstairs or helped Lena on patrol while the brainiacs set to work on their special project. But if Zeke was right, that it could only work for her, then she needed to be a part of it, even if it was only for measurements and tests.

They were burning the oil for her, and Erika had to do all she could to help. It was the only way that she could make sure that she was ready and that she could never let any of them down again.

"Do you think it's ready?" Erika asked excitedly as she hovered over their shoulders. But while Hilary and Jess looked positive, Zeke was more hesitant.

"I'm not sure," he admitted. "I think there's still a lot of tests to do first. There's still a lot that could go wrong. I don't think it's a good idea to bring out into the field, at least until we-."

But whatever suggestion Zeke was going to make was drowned by the blaring alarms. All of a sudden, all hands were on deck, and Hilary and Jess were scrambling at the keys to find the multiple sources of disturbance.

"Horde of bots in the main square," Jess announced.

"I've got them downtown, too," said Hilary. "Silver Guardians engaged by the pier as well."

"They're everywhere," Zeke realized. "Can't they just give us a moment to breathe?"

"I think that's the idea," Erika said bitterly.

The elevator doors dinged behind them; Abbey, Miguel, and Ray all arriving from the training room to see the chaotic mess. Moments later, Lena's call for backup sounded through the speakers.

"We need to split up," Erika realized. "It's the only way we're going to be able to deal with all those Cyberdrones at once."

"Looks like Lena's got Captain Mason on her Server Cycle," said Jess. "They're heading toward the pier."

"We can head downtown," Ray added. "Try and clean there as quick as we can."

"Good idea," Erika nodded. "Miguel, you go help Lena. The rest of us can then go and handle the..."

And as if to add to their list of problems, a flash green filled the monitor as Terror-Volt down to join the Cyberdrones.

"…square."

Great.

With split forces, they were just going to have to hope that DeFrag on its own would be enough to cut it. But it didn't matter, not in that moment. The civilians in danger were the priority. Once upon a time, Erika, Abbey, and Zeke had managed monsters with just the three of them; they could still do it now.

"We'll come join you as quick as we can," said Ray, reading her mind.

"Once Lena and I have helped the Guardians secure the pier," Miguel agreed. "We'll be right beside you."

"Focus on the civilians," Erika replied. "They're the priority. We can keep the lightbulb contained." And then, with a resounding nod that was shared by everyone, the six Rangers spun around, forming a line with their backs to the monitors as all of them summoned their morphers. "You guys ready?"

"Ready!"

"Server Force! Login Access!"

The light flared around them, columns of primary light accented by black, gold, and silver as the Rangers embraced the grid. The power surged within them, flushing through their veins to embolden them with burning energy, stoking like the coals of a raging fire as they were swept up into the streams of light and spirited across the city. The suits materialized around them, wrapping their limbs in protective layers as the helms encased their heads and visors flashed across their vision. As the light slammed down, they lunged into the fray, determined to hold the ground as people fled to safety.

Erika didn't waste a second as her axe crashed into the Cyberdrone lines with a downward plunge. With a heavy swing, a bursting blast of crimson sent the henchmen flying, cast aside by the force of the blow like shattered glass. Moving fast, Erika's hand ripped the pistol from her holster as she opened fire. Red beams seared from the barrel to blast at their feet. By now, the henchmen had gotten daring, lunging while her attention was elsewhere. But not looking wasn't the same as not ready, and Erika ducked and rolled beneath the incoming blow as her axe flashed up the henchman's body to send it reeling.

All around her, more blasts boomed between bursts of blue and yellow, the ranks of henchmen scattered like petals in the wind by Abbey and Zeke's combined efforts. They were making headway, managing to push back the horde. Now, if they could just manage it before-.

"Time to kick up the voltage!"

The monster had barely laughed their terrible pun when the lightning surged from its from its hands, thick forks of pure energy cracking across the square at the three occupied Rangers. Were it not for the terrible humor, the three Rangers would have been toast, and even then, all three barely leaped away in time as the bolts struck the ground and exploded.

Spinning back, Erika braced her weapon and leveled it at Terror-Volt as Abbey backflipped beside her, and Zeke shifted to raise his shield in defense.

"That was close!" Abbey realized. "I don't think we can take a hit like that head-on."

"We might not have a choice," Zeke replied. "There's no way we can keep these goons contained if we put all our efforts into Terror-Volt! I can try to use my shield to hold him back; maybe it'll be enough to help you let loose with your bow?"

But for all Zeke's desperate planning, Erika scowled as she saw the flaws. Staying behind the shield meant holding tight formation while the Cyberdrones were fanning wide. Already, they were running amok along the edges of the square, harassing fleeing civilians while the Rangers did all they could to hold the center. And that wasn't even considering the easy target it would make them for Terror-Volt. Even if Zeke could tank a few hits, he wouldn't be able to hold out forever, not long enough for the others to reach them.

But without the others, there was no way they'd be able to handle the Cyberdrones and Terror-Volt at once.

Or could there…

"Zeke," Erika said hurriedly. "I know you said there were still some tests, but do you think the armor could work?"

The Yellow Ranger spun to look at her, and Erika could just imagine Zeke's jaw dripping behind his visor at the mere suggestion. She didn't blame him, not so soon after the fiasco that morning. But that was then, and now they needed every edge they could get.

"I… I don't know," Zeke said fearfully. "What if… what if it goes out of control like last time? What if it hurts you?"

They didn't have time for this; they needed a plan, and Erika needed to know their options. And more importantly, Zeke needed to know what was really holding him back. Affirmably, Erika placed a hand on Zeke's yellow shoulder

"Zeke, no one knows that armor better than you," she said. "If you don't think it's ready, then it's not. But what I'm asking is, what do you believe? It doesn't have to be perfect; it just has to work. Will it?"

For a moment, the Yellow Ranger stood there, frozen in frightened indecision. But slowly, his posture softened as he realized the faith and trust that Erika was placing in his judgment. An affirmation of his answer, regardless of what it was. Realizing that he believed in her.

"It's ready," Zeke nodded firmly. "We'll handle the Cyberdrones. Now go pull this guy's plug."

"Jess?" Erika said into the com. "You hear that?"

"I heard you. Digitizing activator now."

Here goes…

Spinning around as the others leaped away, Erika lifted her arm as the bulky device appeared on her wrist in a flash of scarlet. Terror-Volt was still cackling, barely taking notice as he fired stray arcs of electricity into the air. Time to get his attention.

"Hey, spark-plug!" Erika yelled out. "Don't forget about me! It's time to Battlize!"

Just like before, the power crashed into her with a boom of crimson lightning, the raw, red energy of the grid flushing into her body with no filter or restraint. Last time, it had been like being caught in a riptide, a current too powerful to ever control, sweeping her away as it rippled through her body like a conduit. But now Erika could feel it, crackling inside of her, responding to her thoughts and shaping to her very will as the force became contained within. The armor flashed to her form, a familiar panel molding to her suit as the power flowed around in perfect synchronicity. And then, as the light faded, Erika stood there, at the epicenter of the confluence, adorned in the armor born of her dreams.

"She did it!" Zeke cheered.

"All right!" Jess cheered through the coms. "Digitization complete and all systems stable. Great job!"

"Cyber Ronin Battle Armor!" Erika declared with a flourish of the lengthy odachi. "Online!" The armored Red Ranger turned to face the monster, eyes narrowing as he stared back at her and balked at her upgraded form.

"So, you got a bit of a boost?" Terror-Volt scoffed. "Big deal. That doesn't mean it can handle the voltage!"

"Only one way to find out," Erika snickered as she shot a look at her two teammates. "You guys focus on the Cyberdrones; I'll handle the frayed wire."

"Right!"

The Rangers readied to move, but while Abbey leaped away, Erika stopped Zeke for a brief moment. "And Zeke? Thanks for the boost."

"Right back at you!"

The Yellow Ranger lunged at the horde of Cyberdrones, Security Saber swinging to carve through the numbers and force back the tide. But Terror-Volt was far from impressed.

"If you think all that padding is going to be enough to insulate from me," he roared. "Then you're in for a shock!"

The lightning unleashed like a furious storm as the arcing bolts hurled toward Erika with maximum voltage. But when before she would have leaped away and desperately dodged the searing strike, Erika raised her blade to take it head-on. The lightning crossed the distance and crashed into the sword with a deafening crack of thunder, the jagged energy surging into the blade with unrelenting ferocity. But Erika didn't so much as buckle, standing strong against the onslaught of fury as more and more power channeled into the glowing blade like a conductor. Terror-Volt thought nothing could stand up to his power, but power was exactly what Erika needed. The sword was a lightning rod, the perfect target to gather the energy and collect it all in place.

And Erika had the perfect place to send it.

Finally, out of juice, Terror-Volt buckled forward, gasping from exhaustion before shrieking in fright at what stood before him. By now, Erika's sword was white hot, sizzling with arcing electricity that could barely be contained. And her armor hadn't taken so much as a scratch.

"What?" he screamed. "That's not possible!"

"A word of advice," Erika replied. "Don't dish out what you can't take back. Cyber Armor, Lightning Strike!"

With all her grid-assisted might, Erika roared as she thrust out the blade to send all the collected power hurling back. The lightning split the air, collating into a single, streaming bolt that sliced across the distance with a rattling boom.

Out in the open, Terror-Volt could only scream as ten million volts crashed into his body, overloading him all at once. In an instant, he was consumed by a brilliant flash of white, booming with a ferocious roar as the ionized air ignited on impact. Seconds later, a blazing explosion flared from the impact sight, hurling Terror-Volt backward as Erika turned away. She didn't even need to look to survey her handiwork. She already knew that it was all over. Sure enough, Terror-Volt toppled moments later, his entire body detonating as he hit the ground and disappeared into a spiraling fireball.

All around her, Abbey and Zeke were getting the Cyberdrone forces under control, free to dismantle with extreme prejudice without any harassment from the monster. With a final lunge, the two of them crossed paths, bounding off the debris to land together as their targets exploded behind them. Whatever remained was far from enough to tackle three fully morphed Rangers, and the remnant footsoldiers vanished in a flash of green, and both Rangers excitedly bounded to Erika's side.

"All right!" Abbey cheered.

"That was awesome!" said Zeke. "It was even better than I imagined."

"You're telling me,' Erika replied with a grin. "Great work, Zeke."

But it was still too early for celebrations, and as Erika dismissed the suit of armor, the familiar emerald light filled the air. Sure enough, Terror-Volt was back, towering over the city.

"Nothing gets me back up like a good recharge!" he declared triumphantly.

"Jess, we're all clear on our end," Erika said into the coms. "How're things looking with the others?"

"Downtown is robot-free!" Ray declared happily.

"Seems like we were the Silver lining that the Guardians needed," Lena added.

Which meant that all seven Rangers were free to move.

"Jess?" Erika grinned. "Why don't we show this guy what a real light show looks like?"

"Read my mind. Deploying Zords!"

From behind them, a sharp light burst across the air, signaling the arrival of the mighty machines and their roaring engines. Cheering with excitement, Erika, Zeke, and Abbey leaped up high and into the cockpits to take control. Soon enough, streetcar, truck, and jet plane were surging toward the giant monstrosity, pulling into perfect formation as they got ready to merge.

And then came the others.

Out from the pier, black and white Zords came ripping into view, the ShadowCycle and Lightspeed Racer skidding into place to pull into the driving formation in readiness to join their comrades. Then, the two shining fliers soared overhead, matching altitude with Abbey's jet as all seven Zords moved at synchronous speed.

"Let's bring them together!"

With a surge of power, the hatches opened with eager hissing as all Zords converged. First, the legs, then the torso, then the triple configuration of all three aircraft clamping on to arm the full configuration. As the head unfolded and their ornate helm shunted into place, all seven Rangers were whisked into the cockpit, side-by-side at the controls as they stared the monster down.

"Mainframe Override Ultrazord!" They declared together. "Online!"

As the mighty Ultrazord cast a looming shadow over the engorged Terror-Volt, the monster could only turn and gawk at the machine's mighty size.

"No way!" he gasped. "How am I meant to power through all of that?"

"You thought you could?" Erika chuckled.

"Then he's about to get the shock of his life," Zeke agreed.

The clamps on the feet slammed down, locking the Megazord in place and bracing for recoil as the cannons emerged on the arms, shoulders, and chest as the barrels began to glow.

"Time to show him some real shock and awe," Lena decided.

"Right!" They all agreed. "Magna Deletion… OVERLOAD!"

The barrels erupted with the forces of a seismic quake, a blinding barrage of energy that ripped through the sky toward a helpless Terror-Volt. There was nothing he could do, no trick or ploy to save him, as the light consumed him completely. The energy was unrelenting, flowing like a bursting dam as the might of seven combined Zords converged into a powerful blast. When Erika finally shut it off, all that remained of Terror-Volt was a blackened husk, already falling in defeat as the Ultrazord turned around.

"Talk about a case of shell shock!"

As he hit the ground, he exploded, his entire form ripped apart from the inside as the flames surged out from within. The fire splayed in all directions, bursting with explosive force that incinerated every shred of data that remained. And as the smoke subsided, the Ultrazord stood tall, rising above the city as Lakeview's noble protector. And the Power Rangers, its guardians.

The air within the museum was still, not a single sound daring to break the silence as Davian Scolex entered the central lobby. The lights were already dimming, and only the soft-auxiliaries were providing guidance throughout the closed and empty building. But the time and date had been set, and the man was anything if not punctual.

"Over here," Hilary called from the exhibit entrance. Her face was cold and stony, eyes glaring to betray her simmering rage as Scolex turned with a grin of sinister satisfaction.

"I have to admit," he said. "I was surprised that you reached out. I take it then that you've considered my offer?"

"We did," Hilary replied.

"We all did," added Ray as he stepped out beside her.

"All of us."

Scolex's face dropped as Erika's voice echoed from behind a display. One by one, each of the other Rangers stepped out into view. Coming in from the flanks, they converged on the entrance, forming a guard of honor between their mentors and their enemy.

"So, what's this then?" Scolex scoffed. "An ambush?"

"If you're feeling generous, you could call it an intervention," Lena replied.

"We talked it over," said Abbey. "Thought about what you said and what it would mean for us."

"Thought we'd really take the time to consider all the options," Zeke added.

"Then we all got together," Miguel concluded. "And we agreed that you can shove it."

Ever the businessman, Scolex must have been one hell of a poker player. His face remained unchanged, not a single hint of disappointment save the twitch in his jaw to betray his clenching.

"I can't say that I'm surprised," he said. "But I am disappointed. I guess part of me just hoped that you kids would think about someone other than yourselves. You could call this off at any time; just walk away and protect your families. But no, you have to make it all about your ego. On your heads be it, I guess. I really did think you understand what you just signed up for."

"No," Erika said curtly. "You're the one who doesn't understand."

With a single stride, she stepped right into his face, invading his personal bubble with a defiant, unrelenting glare. Unprepared for such a brazen advance, Scolex rocked backward on instinct.

"You think you're so amazing because you have all this money and all this power," said Erika. "But you don't know anything. You came here to threaten us, to watch us grovel in despair. But the truth is that you're the one that should be worried."

"I have a billion-dollar company and connections to nearly every service and business in Lakeview," Scolex scoffed. "What could a spunky teenager with attitude possibly have that could scare me?"

"Something to fight for," she replied. "Because we have people here that we love, people that we'll do anything for. And you just put them in the crosshairs."

"That's kind of the point. Remember the whole threatening thing? Kind of a big part of the plan."

"Not a great plan. Because you forgot one simple thing, and it tells everything we need to know."

"And's what that?"

"That you're the one who doesn't know who they're dealing with."

Scolex's eyes narrowed, annoyance and curiosity glaring back as Erika refused to budge an inch. For a brief moment, his eyes flicked past her, but all that met him were matching expressions from every other member of the team.

"So that's how it is, huh?" he scoffed. "Get a lucky win, and suddenly you think you're good enough to bet against the house?"

"Pretty sure it's more than one," said Erika. "Lena, how's the scorecard looking?"

"We're well in the double digits," Lena replied. "But Xaviax? I'm pretty sure we're still counting on one hand, and that's if we're feeling generous."

"You think those wins are real?" Scolex scoffed. "You just got lucky, and I've had far too many better things to do than give you all my full attention."

"Right back at you."

That one got him, and Scolex raised a curious eyebrow as Erika tilted her head to call back a question. "Hey, Ray? What's that Ranger rule that you're always reminding me about? The one I think is annoying?"

"Never escalate a fight," Ray said flatly.

"Unless an enemy forces you to," Hilary added.

"You hear that?" Erika said to Scolex. "All that we've done? All that we've put up against you? That's us holding back. That's us focusing on the protection of the innocent. We didn't choose this fight; you did, and you can choose to end it. All you have to do is stop sending down monsters, and we'll never have to pick up our Morphers again. Because while you're thinking about yourself, we're thinking about everyone else, about how to keep them safe."

"You still don't get it, do you?" Scolex chuckled. "This isn't about some battle. About some monster fight. I could crush you all in an instant, one phone call, and I could ruin each and every one of your families. And there's nothing you can do about it."

But now it was Erika's turn to smirk. "You so sure about that?"

A voice suddenly crackled through the museum speakers. "I don't think you've considered who you're dealing with and what I do to those who try to stop me. I don't think you've considered that precious little assistant you have, at the hopes she has ever holding another job when she's sick of your little charity case. Or what would happen to this museum if something were to happen to its funding? Those teens you've taken under your wing must have so many hopes and dreams. It would be a shame if everything they ever wanted was ripped from beyond their reach."

"A piece of advice, Scolex," said Hilary. "If you're going to threaten someone, I'd make sure that they're not recording."

The calculating demeanor broke, vanishing to the rage that flashed behind Scolex's eyes as a growl rumbled from his throat. "That won't matter," he said. "If you think you could buy even a single chance from an illegal recording, you're dreaming."

"You're probably right," Erika agreed. "But I think all the people that watch the six o'clock news might think differently. Because we know why you wear a mask to do your dirty work, even when no one's watching. Because the only way you can convince yourself that you're the good guy is because that's what everyone thinks you are. And I can't help but wonder what will happen to your community-friendly image when a nosy reporter at Channel Three gets her hands on a tape of you threatening a bunch of high schoolers."

"I bet it'd be trending in an hour," Abbey snickered. "Social media's very fast these days."

"You'd honestly be surprised how quickly something can be uploaded to every media platform on the web," Lena agreed.

"So, you're the one who needs to listen," Erika warned. "That? That's just a taste, and there's plenty more where it came from. The good guys? They always win, and there's no version of this that ends well for you. So maybe you throw your weight around, and maybe you ruin the lives of everyone we care about, but that's only going to make us fight you even harder. And if you go after the ones we love, then there's no limit to what we'll do to take you down. Because while Rangers won't ever escalate a fight, you can be damn sure we'll finish it. If you're going to step things up, then you better be ready for what you unleash."

For a moment, Scolex only stared back at her, a furious storm raging behind his eyes. His clenched jaw tightened, posture stiffening in a last-ditch attempt to rise and threaten her further. But Erika was unmoved, a stalwart rock to break the tide and show Scolex that he was far from unstoppable.

And then they stepped away.

"You've made your point," Scolex growled as he conceded. "But this isn't over."

"Just remember," Erika replied as she stepped back to join the support of her equally defiant team. "You can stop this at any time. And we'll be waiting."

With a final scowl, Scolex turned on the laminate and stormed away, stopping briefly as Hilary called out to him. "Oh, and Scolex? Next time you want to see me, make an appointment."

All of them stood there, united as one, with endless glares as Scolex hissed a reply and departed. It was only then that the seven of them gasped out with relief, their breath that all had been holding. None of them could believe it; they'd just stared down the most powerful man in the city. A billionaire, their nemesis. And they'd won.

"Okay," Abbey breathed. "That was awesome!"

"Couldn't have put it better myself," Ray agreed warmly.

"You'd have been more polite," Hilary teased. "But I can definitely approve the direct approach."

"Thanks, guys," Erika smiled. "But it wasn't really me. It was all of you. I was standing in front, but only because I had you backing me up. Because that's just it, that's why we're going to win. Scolex is out for himself; he's got no one else. But us? We've got each other, and we make each other stronger every day. And that's why we're going to win."

"He's wounded, but he's not out," Lena reasoned, guiltily bringing them back to reality when all would prefer to revel in celebration. "He might be staying away from your families, but he's bound to be cooking up some other kind of scheme."

But Erika just shrugged, looking back at the beaming team that supported her through thick and thin. "Let him come," she said. "He's lost ArcKnight, and now he's got the Silver Guardians breathing down his neck. What's he even got left to use?"

It was cold down in the dark tunnels deep below the city. The damp air hung about like a malevolent phantom, clinging hauntingly to the walls with a moist and chilling density. The dust that caked the drapes and table had long settled onto their surfaces, with no need to disturb the air and collide with the particles of lingering mist. It was a dank and uninviting place, where nobody ever went, long abandoned by even the Cyberdrones who had once sought to use it as a station.

But while empty, the equipment scattered throughout the small, forgotten workshop was far from far from broken and worthless. They were simply lying in wait, delaying their operation for the time when it was required.

Suddenly, the various switches and monitors burst to life, lights that had long dulled brimming with a fresh current as a whirring filled the empty chamber. In the far corner, a projector stood on a tripod, its lens flaring as a burst of emerald light erupted from within.

The beam hit the floor, unrelenting as the emerald glow solidified, and a bursting wind rushed from its area of displacement as a shape began to form. It started small, but as the dialing intensified and the projector moved upward, the shapes formed into feet, then legs, and then an entire body as the chamber filled with a painful roar of defiance.

His armor was remade, his body reformed inside. Within the menacing helm, a pair of glowing crimson eyes narrowed as his resurrection finished with a dreaded flash. With a gasp, he stumbled forward, finding his footing before beginning to examine his surroundings. And then, as he realized that it had worked, the figure began to laugh.

It had been a gamble, forming a direct connection with Xaviax's mainframe, ensuring that his mind could live on even with his body destroyed. It had even bigger a risk to hope that he'd be undiscovered, that Ender wouldn't detect his presence as he navigated through the system. And most of all, he'd bet all on the odds that one of the old stations that had been set up when they'd all first arrived in Lakeview had become forgotten, hidden away in the expansion of his former master's brilliance.

But despite all odds, it had worked, and now there he stood among the good company of other tools that had also been abandoned and forgotten.

No longer was he an unwitting pawn, a tool to be directed for another's bidding. No, now he was free to act as he wished, to pursue the purpose he had been created for with righteous zeal. But there would be others who would stand against him and those who needed to pay for the insults that they had inflicted upon him.

No, he couldn't pursue his purpose yet. Not until he was certain that nothing could stop him. But for that, ArcKnight knew exactly where to start…

NEXT TIME:

With his return to the land of the living, ArcKnight sets his sights on the object of his hatred, his very creator, Davian Scolex. But when the warrior's pursuit of vengeance puts innocent lives in danger, the Rangers are forced to intervene. Meanwhile, ArcKnight's return awakens new questions within Lena about her own culpability, questions that make Kyle Mason fear that she's falling back into evil company.

Can Lena get through to ArcKnight without betraying the team?

Can she and Kyle Mason ever put their complicated past behind them?

And with ArcKnight pursuing his vendetta with extreme prejudice, the Rangers are forced to face the most confronting question of all: can they bring themselves to protect the very man who has sworn to destroy them?

Found out the answer to these questions, and more, on:

POWER RANGERS

SERVER FORCE

The Enemy of thy Enemy

Power Rangers: Server Force is a fan-made team of Rangers, and not explicitly based on any other existing Rangers or Sentai property, with artwork character models created through Hero Forge.

Power Rangers- Sever Force updates on Tuesdays and Fridays. If you like what you read, you can always drop a comment to let me know and don't forget to subscribe/ follow to find out the second I update.